San Antonio Man Is First Super Combo Prize Winner

AUSTIN, Texas — Stephen Koepke didn’t believe it when a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department employee phoned him Aug. 29 to tell him he’d won a $1,000 outdoor gear shopping spree and a $60 Texas State Parks Pass.

“I didn’t believe it at the time, because I didn’t know about the drawings, but I verified it the next morning and found out it’s true,” said Koepke, who is self-employed serving legal papers and is a member of a local Rod and Gun Club in San Antonio.

What Koepke found out is that anyone who buys a Super Combo license by Dec. 31 will be automatically entered for a chance to win one of 10 $1,000 gift cards donated by Academy Sports and Outdoors, plus a $60 Texas State Parks Pass donated by Toyota. A total of 10 drawings will be held every two weeks until the end of December, and everyone who buys a Super Combo will be entered in all subsequent drawings. This means the earlier a person buys, the better their chances.

No purchase is necessary to enter; entrants can enter online via the department Web site or can pick up an entry form at a TPWD Law Enforcement license sales office.

“I rarely hunt any more, but I grew up on a ranch and hunted my whole life and have bought a license every year of my life whether I plan to hunt or not,” Koepke said, adding that he still fishes often, mostly coastal bay and offshore angling.

“So I support parks and wildlife 100 percent, because I think they’re a worthwhile organization and need every bit I can contribute,” Koepke said. “I think they’re doing an excellent job and I support ‘em with my money whether I hunt or not.”

Department leaders have said the promotion’s purpose is mainly to give something back to the hunters and anglers who have historically paid for wildlife conservation by buying licenses. They also hope to give people an incentive to buy early in the season, which creates cash-flow timing that helps the agency and therefore helps the conservation cause.

Nine drawings to produce nine more winners are still to come. Purchasers of four different license types are automatically entered in the promotion. These include the $64 Super Combo package, which has everything a person needs to hunt or fish in Texas (except the federal duck stamp, needed to hunt waterfowl), as well as the Resident Senior Super Combo, Resident Disabled Veteran Super Combo and Resident Active Military Super Combo.

Anyone can buy a Super Combo by visiting any of the close to 2,000 retail establishments that sell Texas hunting and fishing licenses, by phoning toll-free (800) TX-LIC-4-U (895-4248), or by going on online to the TPWD Web site.

Entrants for the drawings must be at least 17 years old, and employees of TPWD, Academy and Toyota are not eligible. Complete rules are on the department Web site.